New Server/Domain - what would you do?

[CHR1S]

So it seems I may be replacing my PDC sooner rather than later and I have to man up to the task ahead.

 

So the question is, do I migrate to a new server and keep everything as is warts and all or do I keep the old server up, start a new 2008 build, new domain etc and move the existing PCs over one by one.

 

I will probably have to get outside assistance in to get the main tasks finished as I only do 2.5 days a week in the school.

 

So what would you choose?

[jamin100]

I'd definatly start fresh with a 2008 server. Are you still on CC4?

[CHR1S]

CC4 is the Juniors, this is for the infants.

[jamin100]

ah ok, well then I'd go with 2008 at least you'll me able to move your clients to windows 7 sometime in the future then

[tmcd35]

It's a question of time scale. How long have you got to do the work? I've been having some success of late migrating PDC's for local infant/primary schools. The whole job takes about 3 or 4 days depending on how much data they have that needs transfering.

 

If I had a couple of weeks spare to do the work in I'd probably build a new domain from scratch.

 

Either way - migration or rebuild - if they are not using any legacy carp like Winsuite (and you can't get rid of it, grrrr) I'd use Server 2008 (R2?) regardless.

[CHR1S]

Yeh, im swinging towards a new server/domain using 2008. At least I can run it in parallel and have a smooth(ish) change over.

[tmcd35]

be careful running in parallel - I've tried it at a primary and it can be messy. Make sure you know exactly were all new data is being written to. We migrated data across to a new server and missed out a couple of manual drive mappings to the old server so new data was still being written to the old server

[Chunky]

Virtualisation would be the easy option, but depends what your plans are in the long run.

 

Chunks

[CHR1S]

Virtualisation would be the easy option, but depends what your plans are in the long run.

 

Chunks

 

Its an infant school so the demands are not high, its a one box does all situation and I cant really see the benefits of virtualising just one server. Please feel free to prove me wrong tho, im open to anything good

[sted]

Its an infant school so the demands are not high, its a one box does all situation and I cant really see the benefits of virtualising just one server. Please feel free to prove me wrong tho, im open to anything good

on some of my 2008 servers in primarys ive virtualised a 2003 x86 server for printers (if drivers are built in and cant get matching x86/x64 ones) and for poor software like abacus that needs a 32 bit server cos its written by monkeys

[Chunky]

Its an infant school so the demands are not high, its a one box does all situation and I cant really see the benefits of virtualising just one server. Please feel free to prove me wrong tho, im open to anything good

 

I guess I was thinking of the benefits of backing up, and also having an "almost live" backup, should there be data corruption. (plus, once you've created a VM, using one of the top 3 virtualisation companies, then that VM is more easily transferrable from one hardware platform to another should the hardware fail.

 

Chunks.

[bio]

Virtualisation would be the easy option, but depends what your plans are in the long run.

 

Chunks

 

I second this... i would P2V this server and copy the virtual machine to a test environment. There you can test the migration and document it..if OK you can do the migration easily on you production server

 

bio..

[sparkeh]

Another vote for virtulisation.

I did this very thing last week. I P2V'ed the current server so everyone carries on as usual while I build the new 2008 server.

[gotenks1321]

I'm hoping to be in the same situation in the next couple of months and plan on building and running the 2k8 DC alongside the existing 2k3 and migrating everything over as and when the time comes. Seems the best way to keep downtime to a minimum and also keeping the existing server running incase of problems.

[rh91uk]

I would virtualise it, running a server for general tasks and obviously your DC for the main tasks.

[chrbb]

Any chance of simple explanation of 'how to do its'?

[sted]

Any chance of simple explanation of 'how to do its'?

 

download disk2vhd insert enough storage to take the image and tun the program. Load up hyper v on an 08 box and point it at the vhd file you created